Food trucks
Food truck digital menu board: size, power and sun
On a truck, power and sunlight decide the screen, not the menu. A 32" Samsung QM32C draws 55 W and costs $650. An outdoor-rated OH46B draws 430 W and costs $4,499. Which one you need depends on which side of the serving window it hangs.
Prices as of October 25, 2026. Call (201) 834-6412 with your truck's power setup and we'll tell you what it can carry.
Four food truck menu board setups
| Where it goes | Model | Nits | Power (typ.) | 6-hour service | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inside, read through the serving window | QM32C 32" | 400 | 55 W | 0.33 kWh | 5.2 kg | $650 |
| Inside, bigger menu | QB43C 43" | 350 | 121 W | 0.73 kWh | 8.8 kg | $696 |
| Behind glass, facing out into the sun | OM46B 46" | 4,000 | 350 W | 2.10 kWh | 18.2 kg | $2,799 |
| Mounted outside the truck | OH46B 46" | 3,500 | 430 W | 2.58 kWh | 36 kg | $4,499 |
Power and weight are Samsung's published typical figures. "6-hour service" is typical power times six hours, a rough guide for battery and generator sizing. Prices live from displaydetails.com.
Power: plan the inverter first
Samsung screens run on AC, so on a 12V truck the inverter sets your limit. The QM32C at 55 W typical uses about 0.33 kWh over a 6-hour lunch. The OH46B uses about 2.58 kWh over the same shift, nearly eight times more.
Size the inverter above the screen's maximum draw, not the typical figure, and leave headroom for the fridge kicking on. If you run a generator, the screen is a small load next to the cooking equipment.
Sun: which side of the glass
Inside the truck, out of direct sun, the QM32C's 400 nits is readable through an open serving window. Facing out through glass into daylight, you need a window display like the OM46B at 4,000 nits.
Fully outside, only an outdoor-rated panel makes sense. The OH46B is 3,500 nits and listed for -30 to 50 °C. It's also 36 kg and 85 mm deep, so the truck body needs a proper mount point.
What we'd buy
For most trucks: one QM32C or QB43C inside, above the window, running the menu off a USB stick. It's the cheapest setup that's still a commercial screen with a 3-year warranty, and it sips power. The QM32C is 16/7 rated at 400 nits and 1080p, which is plenty at arm's length.
Add an outdoor panel only if you work festivals where people read the menu from 20 feet back in full sun. That's where the OH46B pays for itself.
DisplayDetails keeps a broader page on food truck digital signage with the outdoor series. For restaurants with a fixed counter, see our menu board kits or outdoor menu boards.
Food truck menu boards: questions
Can a food truck digital menu board run on 12V?
Not directly. The Samsung screens on our store run on standard AC power, so a 12V truck needs an inverter sized for the screen. Samsung lists the QM32C at 55 W typical, which a small inverter handles easily; an outdoor OH46B at 430 W needs a much bigger one.
What size should a food truck menu board be?
A 32-inch screen inside the serving window works for a short menu and a 43-inch for a long one or for customers who stand back on a busy street, while for a screen mounted outside the truck the 46-inch outdoor panel is the practical size, because bigger outdoor panels get heavy fast and the truck wall has to carry them.
Will the screen survive the vibration of driving?
Commercial screens aren't sold as vehicle-rated, so treat it as cargo. Use a locking bracket, strap the cables, and on rough routes take the screen down or brace it. We'd rather tell you that than promise a rating nobody publishes.
Can I change the menu from my phone at an event?
Yes, with a cloud CMS and a hotspot. Samsung VXT and CrownTV Dashboard both edit from a browser. Without a connection, load the menu on a USB stick and the screen loops it. See menu board software.
Is a TV cheaper for a food truck?
A consumer TV costs less up front, but it isn't built for the brightness or the hours, and its warranty usually doesn't cover commercial use. The QM32C is $650 with a 3-year Samsung commercial warranty.